Cooperating barrel locking and safety device



Feb. 11, 196 A. J. LIZZA ETAL COOPERATING BARREL LOCKING AND SAFETY DEVICE '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 10, 1962 as W8 INVENTORS Alher lz J. Li: 2 z 11 1954 A. J- LlZZA ETAL COQPERATING BARREL LOCKING AND SAFETY DEVICE Filed July l0, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Alba-r1. J. Li 2211 Feb. 11, 1964 J. LIZZA ETAL COOPERATING BARREL LOCKING AND SAFETY DEVICE Filed July 10, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent Ofifice 3,l2,7l3 Patented Feb. 11, 1964 3,120,713 CGOPERATING BARREL LOCKING AND SAFETY DEVICE Albert J. Lizza, North Willaraham, and Alfred L. Montana, East Longmeadow, Mass, assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed July it 1962, Ser. No. 208,974 4 (Ilairns. (til. 42- (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to firearms in which the barrel is pivoted to the frame at a point in advance of the breech so that the barrel is pivotal about this point to swing the time, secure the firing mechanism sear against accidental actuation.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a barrel lock and safety device which are simple and rugged in construction and positive in their functions.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a hand gun with the barrel tilted to the breech closed position;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinally cross-sectioned view of the hand gun showing the lock in the barrel locked position and the sear latched in the cooked position;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar toFIG. 2 but showing the lock depressed to the barrel unlocked position and the barrel tilted to the breech open poistion;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of the hand gun.

Shown in the figures is a hand gun 1.2 provided with a frame 14 having a depending pistol grip l6 and with a barrel 18 having a breech 2t). Barrel 18 is pivoted on frame 14 at a point in advance of breech 2t) and beneath the central axis of the barrel so that the breech swings upwardly for loading when the barrel is tilted to the open position. Extending forwardly into barrel 18 from breech 2% is a chamber 22 and the barrel is reinforced at the chamber section by an external sleeve 24. Sleeve 24 extends rearwardly from the breech 239 and such extending portion, noted at 26, is of inverted U-configuration, in cross-section, with a pair of laterally spaced skirts 28. The rear end of each of the skirts 23 extends downwardly and rearwardly to form an angular surface 39 having a function to be hereinafter described.

Frame 14 is provided with a breechblock 32, the front end of which is matingly received by extending portion 26 of sleeve 24 when barrel 18 is swung to the closed position. Breechblock 32 mounts a firing pin 34 which is arranged for reciprocation between a forward firing position and a rearward cocked position and which is biased to the firing position by a spring 36. A shaft 38 extends transversely through firing pin 34 and through elongated slots 4% in breechblock 32 so that the opposite ends of the shaft, noted at 42, extend beyond the breechlock for sliding contact with the respective ones of the angular surfaces 3i? as barrel 18 is swung to the open position. Angular surfaces 30 are designed so as to translate the initial pivotal displacement of barrel 18 from the closed position to rearward displacement of firing pin 34 to the cocked position.

Firing pin 34 is releasably held in the cocked position by a sear 44 which is pivotal about a supporting pin 46 mounted transversely through breechblock 34. Pin 4s extends through sear 44 approximately intermediate the front and rear ends thereof so that the rear end is displaceable between an upper holding position and a down- Ward release position. When sear 44 is in the holding position, the upper corner of the rear end thereof is re ceived by a mating recess 4?; in firing pin 34 to releasably hold the firing pin in the cocked position. The rear end of recess 4%? and the surface of sear 44 engageable therewith are angularly formed so that the forward bias of firing pin 34 against sear 44 will rotate the sear to the release position. Sear 44- is biased to the holding position by a spring 5% which presses downwardly against the front end thereof and the sear is releasably held in the holding position by a trigger 52 through the means of cooperating latching surfaces 5- and 56 provided respectively on the front end of the scar and on the trigger.

Barrel 1% is securely locked in the closed position by a lock 58 which is of inverted U-configuration, in crosssection, to form an internal longitudinal channel 69. A recessed section 61 is formed in the outside of breechblock 32 to matingly receive lock 53 so that the lock straddles breechblock 32 and is vertically displaceable relative thereto between a normal locked position and a depressed unlocked position. Lock 5% is guided in its vertical displacement by the sliding engagement of a vertical flange 62, integrally formed on each side of breechblock 32 rearward of the respective one of the slots 40, with mating grooves 64 formed in the inside of the lock. A vertical well 65 extends downwardly into each of the flanges 62 and each of the wells receives a springbiased plunger 66 which presses against the underside of lock 53 for biasing the lock to the locked position. Extending from each side of lock 58 at the front end thereof is a locking lug 70 which, when the lock is in the unlocked position, is received by a mating channel 72 formed inside of the respective ones of the skirts 28. Channels 72 are arranged so that locking lugs 70 are free thereof when lock 58 is in the unlocked position. Thus, when lock 5'8 is in the locked position and barrel 18 is in the closed position, the barrel is locked therein through the engagement of locking lugs 76 with channels 72 and flanges 62 with channels 64. A rectangular clearance 74-, in each side of lock 58, receives the respective ones of the ends 42 of shaft 38 so as to permit uninterrupted displacement thereof by angular surfaces 36 and uninter rupted displacement of the lock between the locked and unlocked positions thereof.

Lock 58 is secured, as hereinafter described, against accidental displacement to the unlocked position by a safety 76 which is a part of a safety device 77. Safety 76 is of rectangular configuration and is provided at one end with a cam surface 78. Safety 76 is received for lateral displacement between an on position, wherein sear 44 is held in the holding position and an off position, wherein the sear is free for release of the firing pin held cocked thereby, by a channel 8%) which extends transversely through breechblock .32 beneath firing pin 34 and which extends through an opening 34- in the left side of lock 58. Safety 76 is installed so that cam surface '78 is extendable from the right side of lock 58 when the safety is in the on position and so that the cam surface inclines upwardly and inwardly from the right end of the safety so as to make camming contact with underside edge 82 of lock 58, when moved from the off to the on position. Edge 32 is arranged so as to be in contact with the top surface of safety 76 when lock 58 is in the locked position and the safety is in the on position. An opening 34 extends vertically upward from the bottom edge of the left side of lock 53 to permit displacement of the lock between the locked and unlocked positions thereof uninterrupted by safety 76. Safety 76 is long enough so that, when the left end thereof is flush with the exterior surface of lock 58, which occurs when the safety is in the on position, cam surface 73 is located outside thereof.

Thus, when safety 76 is in the off position, lock 58 is blocked against displacement from the locked position by the contact of edge 82 with the safety. When safety 76 is actuated to the on position, by pressing inwardly on the right end thereof, lock 53 is freed for displace ment to the unlocked position because of the clearance provided by the slope of cam surface 73 and the elongated configuration of opening 84. If lock 58 should not be displaced fully to the locked position by action of springs 66, the sliding contact of cam surface '78 with edge 82, during displacement of safety '76 to the off position, will cam the lock upwardly to the locked position. Safety 76 is selectively indexed in the on and off positions through the cooperation of a springbiased plunger 86, in breechblock 32, with a pair of detents 83 in the rear side of the safety.

Safety device 77 also includes a latch 91 which is carried by safety 76 and is arranged for sliding displacement thereon between a forward latching position and a rearward release position. A spring 91 biases latch 90 to the latching position. Latch 90 includes a tongue 92 which is arranged to be positioned under an overhanging surface 94 on the rear end of scar 4-4 when safety 76 is in the on position and thereby blocks release of the sear. Tongue 92 is displaced to the side of overhanging surface 94- and clear thereof when safety 76 is in the off position. A cam surface 96 extending from the leading edge of scar 44 at the rear end thereof cooperates with a chamfer 98 on the front end of latch 90 for displacing the latch rearwardly during rotation of the sear to the holding position. When sear 44 reaches the holding position, tongue 92 snaps under overhanging surface 94 and thereby prevents accidental release of the sear.

To load hand gun 12, safety 76 is displaced to the on position, freeing lock 58 for depression to the unlocked position and positioning latch 90 to secure sear 44 when displaced to the holding position. This may be done easily with the thumb of the hand gripping pistol grip 16, permitting the other hand to be used for tilting barrel 18 to open breech 2%. As barrel 18 is tilted, angular surfaces 30 act against ends 4-2 to retract firing pin 34 to the cocked position. When firing pin 34 reaches the cocked position, the rear end of sear 44 snaps up into recess 48 and tongue 92 of latch 9t) snaps under overhanging surface 94 to hold the sear against accidental displacement.

After a cartridge is chambered in barrel 18, the barrel is tilted to the closed position with lock 58 being held depressed. When barrel 16 is closed, lock 53 is released to be biased to the locked position by springs 66 so that locking lugs '70 become engaged with channel 72 to securely lock the barrel.

To fire hand gun 12, safety 76 is displaced to the off position. If lock 58 is not fully positioned in the locked position, the displacement of safety 76 will cause cam 4 surface 78 thereon to displace the lock thercinto. At the same time, tongue 92 is displaced clear of overhanging surface 94 to free sear 44 for actuation to the release position for release of firing pin 34 when trigger 52 is pulled.

From the foregoing, it is clearly apparent that there is provided herein a hand gun which has the breech ruggedness of a rifle with the barrel being securely locked in the closed position for firing and which is provided with a safety device which positively prevents accidental discharge when the barrel is not fully locked in the closed position.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

We claim:

1. A hand gun of breakdown type including a frame, a barrel mounted on said frame for pivotal displacement between a breech open and a breech closed position, a lock slidingly mounted on said frame for displacement between a barrel locked and a barrel unlocked position, a firing pin displaceable between a firing position and a cocked position, a trigger actuated sear arranged for pivotal displacement to a holding position for engagement with said firing pin to releasably hold said firing pin in the cocked position, and a safety device displaceable between an on and an off position and arranged when in the on position to unlock said lock from the barrel locked position and to secure said sear in the holding position when displaced thereto.

2. The hand gun as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame includes a breechblock, said barrel is provided with a reinforcing sleeve at the breech end thereof, said lock is of inverted U-configuration and is arranged to be slidingly received by a mating recessed section on the outside of said breechblock for vertical displacement between the barrel locked and barrel unlocked positions, and said lock is provided on the outside thereof adjacent the front end with a pair of laterally opposed locking lugs arranged to be received by a pair of mating channels in said sleeve when said block is in the barrel locked position.

3. The hand gun as defined in claim 2 and including spring means interposed between said lock and said breechblock for biasing said lock to the barrel locked position, a safety member of said safety device mounted in said frame for sliding lateral displacement between the on and o positions and for cooperation when in the off position with said lock to block displacement thereof from the barrel locked position, and a cam surface formed on one end of said safety for engagement with said lock when located between the barrel locked position and barrel unlocked position for camming said lock to the barrel locked position when said safety is displaced to the off position.

4. The hand gun as defined in claim 3 wherein said safety device includes a latch mounted on said safety member for longitudinal displacement relative thereto between a forward latching position and a rearward release position, a spring arranged for biasing said latch to the latching position, a tongue on said latch, and a surface on said sear formed to be contacted by said tongue when said safety is in the on position for preventing displacement of said sear to release said firing pin and formed so as to be clear of said tongue when said safety is in the off position to release said sear for disengagement from said firing pin.

No references cited. 

1. A HAND GUN OF BREAKDOWN TYPE INCLUDING A FRAME A BARREL MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR PIVOTAL DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN A BREECH OPEN AND A BREECH CLOSED POSITION, A LOCK SLIDINGLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN A BARREL LOCKED AND A BARREL UNLOCKED POSITION, A FIRING PIN DISPLACEABLE BETWEEN A FIRING POSITION AND A COCKED POSITION, A TRIGGER ACTUATED SEAR ARRANGED FOR PIVOTAL DISPLACEMENT TO A HOLDING POSITION FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRING PIN TO RELEASABLY HOLD SAID FIRING PIN IN THE COCKED POSITION, AND A SAFETY DEVICE DISPLACEABLE BETWEEN AN "ON" AND AN "OFF" POSITION AND ARRANGED WHEN IN THE "ON" POSITION TO UNLOCK SAID LOCK FROM THE BARREL LOCKED POSITION AND TO SECURE SAID SEAR IN THE HOLDING POSITION WHEN DISPLACED THERETO. 